Steve Mueller's Digital Scrapbook

Europe 2002

Friday May 17
Strasbourg, France

From Heidelberg we took the A5 Autobahn south and promptly found ourselves in the midst of the worst traffic jam that we have ever experienced. We literally did not move for nearly 90 minutes. While being held hostage by this traffic jam, we learned a few interesting things about German culture. First, German drivers apparently consider it their sacred duty to learn the life story of all fellow travelers. Second, when a German wants to speak to you, they don't politely tap on your window to get your attention, they just open your car door. (Note to self - when trying to nap through an Autobahn traffic jam, don't lean against the door.) Eventually, the people, dogs and frisbees were back in their cars, and the traffic began to do what traffic is supposed to do - move. After skirting the western edge of the Black Forest, we turned east and crossed the Rhine River into France. Our destination was Strasbourg, just across the border. Strasbourg Although Strasbourg is a relatively large city, we did not have much trouble finding our hotel because I used my "historic landmark strategy." I developed this technique after a number of frustrating attempts to find hotels during our first few trips to Europe. When booking a room in large European cities, I try to select hotels that are near either the main train station or an historic landmark. There are usually plenty of signs directing drivers to both types of locations. When we are confidant that we are within walking distance, we park the car and find the hotel on foot. It works everytime. In Strasbourg, we stayed at the Hotel Suisse, which, at certain times of the day, is literally within the shadow of one of the world's most renowned cathedrals. The name Strasbourg literally means "City of Roads," which conveniently summarizes the two thousand year history of this major European crossroad. Although this coveted location brought prosperity to the city, it also invited destruction as invading armies repeatedly passed through this focal point of medieval Europe. Strasbourg is in the Alsace region of France, which is famous for storks, half-timbered houses, picturesque farming villages, scenic vineyards, and, most of all, a unique mixture of French and German culture. The basis for the name of this French town, strasse (street) and burg (town), are of German, rather than French, origin. It's not uncommon for a resident of Alsace to have a French first name and a German last name, such as Francois Schmidt. Even the language indigenous to this land is a unique blend of French and German. For travelers, such as ourselves, that can never decide between France or Germany, Alsace is the perfect compromise. This French-German synthesis is a consequence of proximity to the border, as well as the fact that this region of France has been forcefully transferred between these ancient adversaries multiple times. From architecture and food, to street names, a French-German blend permeates nearly every aspect of Alsatian culture. Henry James once remarked that there is virtually no place in France where one can escape evidence of two monumental historic events - the french revolution and the german occupation. He was not referring to the occupation during the Second World War, or even the First World War. Henry James was referring to the Franco-Prussian War of the late 19th century. Since that time, Alsace has changed hands a few more times, stirring the ethnic pot even more thoroughly. In addition to the unique cultural synthesis, the ubiquitous defensive fortifications, war monuments, and military cemeteries also bear witness to these national struggles. Today, it is difficult to reconcile the peacefullness of this region with its turbulent past. Strasbourg has an authentic medieval core that is confined to an island in River Ill. For this reason, some joke that the historic center of the city is "Ill-defined." The centerpiece of medieval Strasbourg is one of the most magnificent cathedrals in Europe. The initial construction of Cathédrale Notre-Dame, more commonly referred to as the Strasbourg Cathedral, began in the year 1176 and the upper spire, a synthesis of delicacy and solidity (if such a thing is possible) was completed in the year 1439. Although the original plan included symmetrical twin spires, the second spire was never constructed and a viewing platform exists in its place. Unfortunately, the upper half of the solitary spire was covered in scaffolding during our visit. Construction of the ornate west facade began in the year 1277. At 469 feet, the cathedral was the tallest structure in Europe for several centuries, and continues to form an inspiring backdrop to Strasbourg to this very day. The nearby Église St-Thomas (Church of St Thomas) dates from the 12th century and was converted to a Protestant church during the lifetime of Luther. Without a doubt, the most scenic area of Strasbourg is Little France, which refers to the western corner of the river island. This area could just as easily have been nicknamed "Little Germany" given the ubiquitous half-timbered houses and other expressions of German architectural style. For this reason, I suspect that this neighborhood acquired its nickname when it was part of Germany. It would seem silly, or at least redundant, to name a part of a German city "Little Germany." The absolute stillness of the Little France canals seems to crystallize the reflected medieval watchtowers along the Ponts Couverts, a series of bridges that formed part of the city fortifications during the Middle Ages. We spent 3 Euros apiece for admission to the Cathedral observation platform. Although it is a climb of 330 steps, the views stretch from the Black Forest in the east to the Vosges Mountains in the west. To the north, it is possible to see the battlefields of the First World War. I'm not sure what can be seen to the south, but there's a lot of it. Afterwards, we had a nice dinner at Il Journale, an Italian restaurant, on the Rue de Maroquin, which is right in front of the cathedral. We couldn't decide between French and German, so we settled for Italian. Afterwards, we didn't have far to walk. Our hotel was only a short distance away, just on the other side of the great cathedral.
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